


We Made it out to the Other Side

by Hannibal_X_Will, Kylo Hux (Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fluff, M/M, Protective Poe, Time Skips, Young Finn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 11:18:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5826508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannibal_X_Will/pseuds/Hannibal_X_Will, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson/pseuds/Kylo%20Hux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For over a century, humans have been living in settlements surrounded by three gigantic walls, which prevent the Titans, giant humanoid creatures who eat humans, from entering. That was until one day that wall came crashing down and life as was known fell with it.</p><p>Or, the Star Wars/Attack on Titan crossover no one asked for but has got.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Made it out to the Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: Character Death, violence, blood and gore! (If you've seen AoT you know the kind of shit I'm talking about).
> 
> Relationships to develop/be added as the story progresses, along with more characters (both from Star Wars and Attack on Titan!)
> 
> The sections from Poe's POV were written by Hannibal_X_Will; Kylo's parts by Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson

The narrow streets of the Shiganshina district were stuffy and dotted with people going on their business, overhead the sky was a crystal blue and the sun beat down on the busy heads.

“Poe, come on! We’re gonna miss them!” Twelve year old Finn pulled excitedly on elder’s hand, tugging him awkwardly up the hard, mud-trodden street.

“Slow down, buddy,” Poe laughed, but he didn’t put up much of a fight, he had and _would_ never be able to say no to Finn’s huge, dark eyes. His cheeks were flushed from the heat and his shirt was sticking to his skin beneath the brown jacket of his uniform, the crossed swords emblazoned on its back identifying him as a recruit the 104th Trainees Squad.

“Aren’t you excited to see them, Poe?” Finn babbled as they neared the main street, the huge stone wall of the Outer Rim towering over them, the colossus gate in sight over the roofs of the buildings.

Poe shook his head in amusement, breathing a sigh of relief as they stepped into the shadow cast by the wall. “I’ve seen the Scouts return many times, buddy.”

“Yeah but not from a mission as dangerous as the one they’ve been on!” Finn pushed through a group of men outside a tavern, dragging Poe through him. The kid seemed oblivious to the scowls and angry words thrown after them.

“Sorry!” Poe called over his shoulder, only getting a rude hand gesture back in return.

Here, there were more people around, standing about between the buildings, making the most of the shade. Poe remembered from when he had been Finn’s age, younger actually, when everyone in Shiganshina had lined the streets to welcome the Scout regiment home. But now, they only stood there because of the sweltering sun. Finn’s young face was filled with anticipation, eyes wide and bottom lip caught between small teeth.

Poe couldn’t help but reach out and put his arm over the boy’s shoulders, tugging him against his side. Finn was tall for his age, his head reaching Poe’s chest, granted Poe himself wasn’t tall but he hoped, at nineteen, he maybe had a few more years of growth to come. The excited on Finn’s face, the awe and way he saw the Scouts as heroes, the adults around them had forgotten such things. Poe hoped Finn never would, he wanted Finn to look at him like that one day - that was one reason why he want to join the Scout regiment once he had completed his training.

In the distance, Poe heard the sound of the gate being opened and Finn whooped, grabbing onto Poe’s arm. “Here they come! Can you see them yet, Poe?”

He craned his neck would shook his head, “Not yet, buddy.”

“I want to see them first!” Finn let go of Poe’s arm and darted towards a barrel propped against the nearby building.

“Careful,” Poe warned but knew he was speaking to deaf ears.

Finn scrambled up on top of the barrel which wobbled, the wood groaning. Poe followed after Finn and put a secure hand onto him in case he was to lose his balance. Poe didn’t remember a time when he wasn’t watching out for Finn, or pulling him out of some kind of trouble - granted it was often trouble the kid had gotten into by following Poe everywhere he went. Something that Finn’s parents hadn’t failed to notice. Poe assumed that was why they didn’t like him very much, they thought him a bad influence on their son.

“I see them!” Finn exclaimed, leaning forwards to see round the slight curve in the street up ahead. Poe tightened his hold on Finn’s shirt, keeping one eye on the kid as he peered towards the approaching figures.

The noise of trudging footsteps, horses’ hooves, and trundle of wooden wagon wheels reach Poe’s ears and he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his face. The fine hairs on the nape of his neck stood on end as the Scouts drew gradually nearer. Something was wrong. The wind changed direction and Poe smelt it, the metallic tang. Blood.

“Finn, get down,” he tugged at the boy’s shirt but Finn didn’t move, his eyes were fixed on the Scouts, the size of dishes.

Poe took a step forwards so he could see better passed Finn and the barrel. The three leading figures on horseback rode slowly, their shoulders slumped, and the men on foot behind them had their heads bowed, some their green hoods pulled low over their faces.

“Finn-“ Poe tried again, turning back to the boy, readying to carry him away if he had to – he didn’t want the kid to see this.

“I see Commander Erwin, Poe! I see him, he looks…why does he look so sad?”

Poe glanced back and saw the Scouts had almost reached them. For a second he locked eyes with Commander Erwin Smith, the tall, broad-shouldered blond leading the procession. For years he had idolised the man, yearned to be as brave and smart as him, yet the face of the man before him now was not someone he wanted to be. Erwin looked broken, his skin was sickly pale and his eyes were vacant and haunted. The things he must have witnessed beyond the wall…

“Finn, get down!” Poe hardly ever raised his voice to the boy, he could sound the times he had on one hand. Finn looked startled and did as he was told, jumping down from the barrel. Poe took his hand and tried to lead him away, but Finn dug his heels in.

“I still want to see, Poe!” He insisted, though the brightness in his eyes had dimmed.

“No,” Poe shook his head, “You don’t want to, Finn, trust me.”

“I’m not a child!” Finn retorted, looking up stubbornly at Poe, pouting fiercely.

Poe resisted the urge to just scoop Finn up and run with him away from the reality of this world, but he knew that would only make things worse. He crouched down in front of Finn, putting a gentle hand on his cheek. “Your parents wouldn’t want you to see, Finn. I shouldn’t let you see-“

“-I won’t tell them, I swear!” Finn interrupted, turning his face into Poe’s hand, knowing the older couldn’t deny him anything when he acted cute. Poe opened his mouth, unsure of what he was actually going to say, but then he watched Finn’s eyes slide passed him to fix on the trudging footsteps behind.

Standing up, Poe turned and saw the line of the Scout troops, their uniforms ripped and filthy, bloody bandaged tied around their legs and stumps where limbs have previously been. They leant against one another, supporting each other, some carried stretchers, but others walked alone with faces streaked with the blood of their dead friends. Poe felt his stomach clench and he balled his hands into fists. More and more the Scout Regime failed on their missions, fewer and fewer of them returning each time. _It wasn’t right, something had to change_.

“Moses? Moses?” A woman with a wrinkled face and a purple shawl around her thin shoulders walked out in amongst the troops who stopped.

“Excuse me, where is my son?” She asked the man nearest to her. She stepped in close to him, looking up into his worn face and putting her hands onto his green cloak, “He should be with you.” Her voice sounded so frightened, yet there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Poe felt an invisible hand wrap around his heart, pity squeezing it painfully. 

“This is Moses’s mother,” said the Scout grimly. He turned his head to the side and told the man next to him, “Bring it forth.”

The woman took a step back, her eyes going wide as that small hope died. Poe wanted to look away, he wished with all his might he hadn’t allowed Finn to come here today. A bloodied bundle was given to the woman and with a shaking hand she drew back the material, revealing the severed arm of her son. She gasped and recovered the arm, her shoulders shaking violently as huge sobs wracked her small body.

“I’m sorry. It’s all that was left of him,” the Scout told her. Poe watched the woman fall to her knees in the middle of the street, hugging the severed arm of her son to her chest, crying uncontrollably. _This_ , this was the reality of the world they lived in. Pain, heartbreak, death. _It had to change, it couldn’t go on_ , Poe thought viciously.

Finn let out a tiny sob and Poe spun around, he had almost forgotten the boy was there at all, so caught up in the tragedy before him. He crouched down again and pulled Finn into his arms.

“Don’t do it,” Finn cried into Poe’s neck, his wet tears making the elder shiver, “Don’t become a Scout. Please, don’t leave me!”

“I’ll never leave you, Finn,” Poe swore, hugging he boy tight against him, turning his head and pressing his lips to his head.

“B-but if you go out there,” the boy stammered, his voice muffled, “you will. The T-Titans will eat you!”

“N-no they won’t,” Poe drew Finn back so he could see his face, he wiped the tears from the boy’s cheeks with the sleeve of his jacket. “You won’t lose me, Finn, never. I promise you.”

He knew he should never make that promise, but Finn needed to hear it, so he did. Finn sniffed loudly, staring into Poe’s eyes with his own tearful-red ones. Poe didn’t think he had ever seen anything more heart-breaking, he wanted to hold Finn close forever and never let him go, to kiss away his tears and only ever hear him laugh. The ache in his chest was as real as any physical injury.

“Y-you won’t join the Scouts now, will you?” Finn asked in a frightened, tiny voice.

Poe sighed and let his hands loosely rest on the boy’s shoulders. “I-I don’t know, buddy. Someone has to, and I think I could make a difference-“

“-No! You promised!” Finn pulled away from Poe’s hands, tears falling down his cheeks. He turned tail and sprinted away, sobbing.

“Finn!” Poe called after him, but he hesitated following him, wondering if it was better he leave the boy alone for a little while.

The Scout behind Poe suddenly cried out, making him jump in surprise. The man’s voice echoing down the streets as he shouted, “It was all futile! Because of my incompetence, I’ve lost my comrades!”

The people looked on, shocked by the Scout’s outburst but not by what he said. Poe gritted his teeth and turned his back on the man as he continued to shout. The feeling that something was wrong still laid heavy on Poe’s chest. He looked up at the sky and watched a cloud slide over the sun. An ominous shudder ran down his spine.

 _Finn_ , the name pounded through him like a heartbeat. Poe looked in the direction the boy had run. He needed to find him, keep him _safe_ , from what he wasn’t sure, but he knew it was coming, and _soon_. 

***

“No! No, don’t you _dare_ tell me I can’t join the scouts when I’m older! Dad is-”

“Your Father might not come home. I’m not going through that with you, the constant worrying; I _refuse_ to deal with it, having to worry about you all the time, Kylo!”

Kylo grit his fists and glared at his uncle, sitting at the table. “How could you tell her?! I told you in confidence, Grandpa Chewie!”

“Your Mother deserved to know.”

Kylo crossed his arms, scowling. “It’s not your choice!” He looked away, out the window. “By the way, the Scouts were on their way back when I was on my way home. Dad’s probably debriefing, he’ll be home soon.”

He didn’t tell his Mother that he stopped to have a look. He didn’t tell her that he hadn’t seen his Father. He didn’t tell her that there were a substantial amount of Scouts missing.

Moving across the room, he sat at the table, resting his headed on his fist as he stared out the window. “Think they’ll let Dad stay for longer before they send him off again?”

“I hope.”

Kylo sighed a little, slouching in his chair. His shoulder gave a painful twinge from where that little brat had ran into him earlier, slamming him against a wall as he ran away from a Scout.

Kylo should have beat the little shit to a pulp but he’d walked off, scowling as the Scout had stared after him.

The sound of the door opening distracted him and Kylo looked around, jumping up and into his Father’s arms. “Dad!”

“Ow, Kylo, stop.”

The teen immediately stepped back, worry on his face as his hands shot out to help steady his Father. His eyes widened when they fell on the large, bloody bandage wrapped around his right leg and tears welled in Kylo’s eyes.

“Shit, come and sit down.”

“ _Language!_ ”

Kylo winced as all three adults yelled at him, saying nothing as he helped his Father sit down. “Dad... Dad what happened?”

“There were too many, they were too strong...” Han looked away, gripping onto the alcohol that Leia set down in front of him. “We lost so many men... _I_ lost so many men... So many families ripped apart.” Tears ran down his Father’s face and Kylo bit into his lip.

“D-Dad... I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.”

“They trusted me to keep them safe, Kylo.” Han downed the last of the alcohol, resting his leg out with a wince.

“What happened?” Leia’s voice was full of worry as she hovered by his foot.

“A Titan tried to grab me. I moved, and it knocked me to the side. I crashed into a tree, my bone cracked out my leg.”

Kylo licked his lips and stared at the ground.

“Maybe this can snap you out of your stupid ideas, Kylo.”

“They’re not stupid.”

“What ideas?”

Kylo looked up at his Father and sniffed a little, clearing his throat. “I-I wanna join the Scouts when I’m older.”

“No.”

“But Dad-”

Kylo was interrupted by the house and ground shaking around him and he swayed on his feet.

“What on Earth?”

Kylo rushed to his feet, dodging around his Mother’s arms as he flew outside, looking around. Everyone seemed to be running around in confusion, looking around and then – then Kylo’s heart skipped a beat.

There was something on the wall.

There was something on the wall and there was a head coming over the stones and this had to be a dream because Titans don’t grow that big, and that wall was unbreakable.

 _Was_ unbreakable.

The ground shook again, and then stone and debris were flying everywhere and Kylo screamed. He fell to the ground, remembered what his parents said if there were ever an earthquake and – hey, this sort of counted, right? The fucking ground was shaking and buildings were falling – and he quickly dragged himself to the side, wedging himself between his house and the stone wall that went around it and closed his eyes, covering his head.

He stayed still, he made himself stay silent, and he breathed through the sleeves that covered his arms, just to stop himself inhaling any shards in the air.

And then the ground stopped shaking and slowly, slowly, Kylo wiggled out, breathing hard.

He stared out at the village, or rather, what were left of his village and he turned his head a little. “D-Dad...”

***

“Finn! Finn!” Poe shouted his name, and he’d continue shouting it till his throat was hoarse and couldn’t catch his breath. He knew he should be keeping quiet, find some place to hide and pray the Titans pass him by, but how could he do that when Finn was missing?

Poe skidded to a halt and flattened himself against a building, panting hard. The huge shadow of a Titan fell across the street in front of him. Poe held his breath and closed his eyes, waiting, praying. A giant foot shook the ground, almost making him fall over. He looked up at the naked back of the monster; fear rose up in his throat, threatening to burst from his mouth in a scream.

The titan stood where it was for a minute, Poe slowly inched away along the wall. There came a nearby scream of a woman and the titan turned towards it, lumbering off. Poe sagged, his knees shaking as he gasped for air.

The panic was clawing at his insides; he _wished_ he had his gear with him, maybe then he wouldn’t feel so powerless. He had almost completed his training, soon he would be given the choice of what Corp he wanted to be assigned to. As one of the top ten, Poe had to chance to pick the Military Police Brigade and move to the Inner Wall, live a comfortable and safe life guarding the Royal Court and keeping the peace. Most cadets jumped at the chance - though only the top ten got the luxury of choosing the Military Police - to never have to face a Titan. At least that had been the theory. But if the Titans could breach the Outer Wall then what certainty was there they wouldn’t one day get in the Inner Wall too?

Poe had always known he would chose the Scout Regiment, adventure was in his blood, he would not hide behind the walls for his entire life. Even now, as he ran through the destruction, saw the bodies and the Titans, he did not waver on that. He would willingly lay down his life to try and make a difference, but Finn was just a kid, he hadn’t asked for _this_.

“Finn!” Poe shouted his name again, running in the direction of the boy’s house. He was running in the wrong direction, safety – if you could call it that – lay behind him in the form of the boats. But Poe would not go there without Finn.

Blood was pounding loudly in his ears and he was dimly aware of a voice shouting at him, “The Titans are that way! You need to go the other way!” But Poe paid no attention, he kept his head down and continued to run. He didn’t care if he was running straight towards the Titans – Finn was that way.

The buildings around him were shattered, roofs caved in by the falling debt, some crackled with flame and smoke rose in dark tendrils into the blue sky. Poe saw people, dead and alive, among the wreckage. He wanted to help them, he would if he knew Finn was safely on board one of the boats, but he knew the boy would be too scared.

Poe dived beneath a wooden cart as a Titan loomed out from behind a house to his left. The Titan was one of the smallest Poe had seen, a 5 Metre, nothing compared to the monster that had destroyed the wall.

Poe had seen the top of its head crown over the top of the wall. At first he couldn’t believe it, his whole body went numb and his mind screamed that it couldn’t be true. The wall was 50 metres high, the largest class of Titan was 15 Metre, yet Poe had seen it with his own eyes. How could there be one that gigantic size? Where had it come from? Why hadn’t an alarm been raised as it approached? The monster was 50 metres tall, it couldn’t just appear from thin air!

The small Titan passed him by and Poe scrambled out from beneath the cart. He took off running again, pushing his aching legs harder. His hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat and the back of his throat was burning as he gasped, but he didn’t close down. He was almost there.

***

Kylo froze at what he saw in his peripheral vision. Through the open door to his house, he could see that half of it had collapsed, and he rushed inside. His Father was trapped under a beam from the roof, and Kylo immediately moved to try and help his Uncle Chewie lift the beam, grunting as he did. His arms screamed at the sudden use of his muscles, but he kept going, kept going, and then his Mother was there, using another beam to try and lift this one, but his Father was screaming.

Taking a moment to breathe, Kylo’s eyes widened as he saw the large rod of wood sticking out his Father’s chest, and how mangled his chest actually _was_. Stone from the walls must have bounced off him; Kylo could see ribs poking out his Father’s chest, could hear the blood rattling in his throat as he wheezed.

The sounds of screaming came from outside, and Kylo risked dashing to the door to peer out.

His blood ran cold.

“T-Titans... There’s Titans- TITANS ARE IN THE VILLAGE, WE HAVE TO GET TO THE GATE!”

Kylo rushed back, trying to help move the beam again but Han grabbed his ankle.

“Chewie, Kylo... Take your mother and get her to the gate. All of you get to safety.”

Kylo dropped to his knees, eyes widened. “D-Dad, we’re not leaving you.”

“Kylo, listen to me, and listen to me good. You get your arse out this house, you take your Mother’s hand, and you _run_. Do not stop until you’re safe or on a boat to the inner circles, do you understand me?”

“D-Daddy...”

“GO.”

Kylo closed his eyes for a moment, and he leant down to press a kiss to his Father’s forehead, before he got up and ran. He grabbed his Mother’s hand and they ran, Uncle Chewie behind them. Glancing back, Leia let out a scream and Kylo’s grip on his Mother’s wrist only tightened. He could _hear_ just how close the Titan was, and tears welled in his eyes.

Stone and wood was thrown to the side, and then he heard his Father’s voice and then a sickening crunch and Kylo had to force himself to keep running, to just keep running.

It was chaos, and Kylo pulled his Mother closer, dragging her down a side alley as a bunch of people fell in front of them.

Someone ran past, screaming _Finn!? Finn?!_ and Kylo reached out, “THE TITANS ARE THAT WAY YOU NEED TO GO THE OTHER WAY!” but then he was gone and Kylo couldn’t save everyone. He checked the alley before dragging his Mother down it, taking a deep breath to try and stop the stitch in his side, trying to stop his body curling over.

“GET THE FUCK OFF ME! PUT ME DO-”

Kylo’s eyes widened as he realised that had been his Uncle’s voice, and then tears were streaming down his face again, and he struggled forward with his Mother.

A large foot appeared to his left, and Kylo dragged his Mother down the left side alley, pressing against the wall on the right-hand side.

The foot stopped, and Leia and Kylo immediately covered each other’s mouths.

In any other situation, it might have been funny.

Kylo looked up, saw it was facing the other direction, and dared to dart to the other side of the alley, peeking around for a way out.

He watched in horror as the Titan plucked a woman from the wreckage of a house. It tugged her upper body up, and Kylo heard the sickening crack of bones as her spine broke. Within seconds, she was in its mouth, and then Kylo forced himself back to his Mother’s side, dragging her in the opposite way.

They ran around in a circle a few times, before Kylo saw the route opening ahead and he sprinted forward.

“Kylo! Not so- not so fast!”

“Mom we have to! Come on,” they were so close, they were so close. “We’re nearly- MOM!”

Her wrist was wrenched from Kylo’s hand and he stared in horror as the crowd pushed him back. He fought forward but then she was gone and Kylo froze as he stared at the Titan looming above him.

“NO! NO, PUT ME DOWN! KYLO, KYLO, I LO-”

The sickening rip of flesh being torn in half cut her off, and Kylo stared as her blood fell down, coating his hair, his face, his clothes – it was all he could taste.

Then there was a hand on him and an angry voice, “move it you stupid kid,” and he was being dragged along again and all he could do was stumble backwards as he stared at the Titan, using his Mother as though she were some kind of chew toy. He was pulled backwards and he had to twist to prevent himself from falling and his eyes cut across to the man who had pulled him away.

He was tall, ginger, and was wearing a Scouts’ uniform.

He didn’t say a word.

***

Poe rounded the corner and there was Finn’s house halfway up the street. Miraculously it looked to have escaped any damage so far.

“Finn!” Poe sprinted to the house, half tripping up the steps to throw himself at the front door. The door banged open and he flew inside. Downstairs was deserted.

“Finn! Where are you, buddy?” Poe called but there was no reply. He turned and tore his way up the stairs, his footsteps pounding against the wood. The door to Finn’s room was closed and Poe’s heart leap, “Finn!”

“Poe?” A tiny voice reached his ears as he yanked open the door. Finn was hiding underneath his bed, wrapped in his blanket, just his face visible. His huge eyes stared at Poe disbelievingly.

“Hey, buddy.” Poe tried to calm his voice, not wanting to freak the kid out any more than he already was. But a dark voice in the back of his mind told him it was too late for that. He strode to kneel down next to the bed, looking beneath it and forcing a smile onto his face.

“Come on, we have to get out of here.”

Finn shook his head, shifting back further underneath the bed, “No, mumma said to stay here, she said she’d be right back, she went to find daddy. S-she said then they got back, we’d go to the boats together.”

“Listen to me, buddy, it’s not safe here. You need to come with me now,” Poe reached underneath and pulled a wriggling Finn out.

“No! Poe, let me go! Mumma said-“

The house shook and the sunlight coming in through the window was suddenly blocked out. Poe covered Finn’s mouth with his hand and held the boy to his chest as he threw himself against the wall next to the window. The Titan peered inside, its breath fogging the glass. Finn was trembling in Poe’s arms, tears rolling silently down his cheeks. Poe held his breath, hugging the boy tight against him.

The Titan lingered for another few seconds then stepped away, sunlight streaming once more into the room. Poe exhaled, removing his hand from Finn’s mouth.

“Finn, we can’t wait, I’m sorry,” he hissed in a low voice.

“I don’t want to leave!” Finn cried out, trying to pull out of Poe’s arms.

“Finn!” Poe caught hold of his hand, pulling him back from the window, “You need to be quiet-“

_CRASH_

Glass and wood exploded, knocking them to the floor. Finn screamed and Poe looked up to see the Titan’s hand reaching through the hole where seconds ago the window had been. The giant hand snatched at Finn and Poe saw red.

“No!” He leapt at the hand, pinning it down with his weight for a second. “Run, Finn!”

The boy scrambled to his feet and sprinted for the door. Poe gasped as the Titan threw him off, sending him crashing onto Finn’s small bed. The hand withdrew and the Titan pressed its huge eye to the hole. Poe stared into it, frozen solid.

“Poe! Poe!” Finn was screaming his name, standing in the doorway. The sound of Finn’s voice snapped Poe from his trance. He jumped off the bed just as the Titan’s hand crashed back into the door. He ducked and reached the door. Without pausing, he scooped Finn up and threw the boy onto his back.

“Hold on, buddy!” Poe shouted as he hurtled down the stairs. Finn clung on with all his strength, his arms around Poe’s neck, almost choking him.

Outside, the Titan was still groping inside the house, destroying everything with its clumsy strength. Poe sprinted out just as the ceiling cracked and wooden boards began to rain down. Finn was crying into his neck and Poe could feel his heart hammering against his back.

“Don’t worry, buddy, I’ve got you,” Poe panted as he ran in the direction of the boats.

***

“SCOUT COMING THROUGH, OUT THE WAY.”

The Scout gripped onto Kylo, manoeuvring him through the crowd for the ferry. “HOLD THE BOAT!”

People were glancing around and then the Scout was pushing Kylo towards the end of the pier and he was talking to someone in hushed tones and then the bridge was being pulled down.

“NO!”

_Isn’t that Rey’s voice..?_

“KYLO!”

Kylo didn’t look up, his mind still on his Mother, the way her bones had just popped apart as though they were a mere children’s toy.

***

They were lucky, the titans stayed out of their way, and they reached the river without any incidences. The dock was crammed with people, all pushing and shouting, children crying. Poe was exhausted, the adrenaline was quickly evaporating from his system. He had to stop for a moment and he disentangled Finn from his neck and set the boy down on his feet.

“Poe, I’m scared,” Finn sobbed, holding onto Poe’s arm with a grip surprisingly strong for his age.  

“It’ll be alright, buddy,” Poe assured him, looking down at him. He saw Finn was shaking violently and he instinctively shrugged off his jacket. “Here,” he said, crouching down and wrapping the brown Trainee Squad jacket around Finn’s shoulders.

Finn stared at him with terrified, round eyes. “D-don’t you need it?”

Poe smiled, pulling Finn against his shoulder in a quick hug, “It’ll keep you safe. Besides, it suits you.”

“Poe…” Finn worried his bottom lip between his teeth, “Where’s my Momma?”

“We’ll find her,” Poe promised the boy, holding his small face gently between his hands, “She’s probably already on one of the boats.” Finn nodded and Poe pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead.

He straightened up and took Finn’s hand, turning to face the chaos on the docks. “Don’t let go of my hand,” he told Finn then began to push his way through the crowd. There was members of the Garrison Guards trying to get the women and children onto the boats first; Poe made a beeline towards the nearest one.

“Here, here!” He waved his hand at the man, “I have a child here!” He quickly turned and scooped Finn up into his arms. The Garrison Guard caught hold of his shoulder and pushed him behind him, towards the plank connected to the boat.

“It’s alright, Finn,” Poe whispered into the boy’s ear as he hurried onto the boat. There was hardly any space left on-board but Poe knew the odds of any of the women being Finn’s mother was low. He didn’t want to think it, but he knew the only thing that would have kept her from returning to the house and Finn was if she was dead.

“Momma!” Finn yelled loudly in Poe’s ear, squirming like an eel in Poe’s arms. Poe hastily put him down before he dropped the kid. “Mum, where are you?”

“Finn,” Poe tried to calm the boy down but it was useless. Finn pushed his way to the edge of the boat and he leant over the side to scan the mass of people below. Poe shoved his way to the boy’s side, his heart sinking to the bottom of his stomach as he saw how many people there still were not on the boats. _There aren’t enough, they’re going to be left behind._ The reality hit Poe like a fist.

***

The Scout was pushing him onto the boardwalk and he stuttered over the wood underfoot. Tears were stinging in his eyes and Kylo slowly sat down on the edge of the boot, hugging his slim frame, trying to stop himself from shaking.

The engine started up and Kylo was startled out of his thoughts. A man tugged him off the edge of the boat, and he turned his head to watch people start throwing themselves off the edge of the path, trying in desperation to get onto the boat.

Someone thudded into the part where he had just been sitting, falling into the icy waters below.

***

Dimly, Poe watched a ginger-haired Scout push his way through the crowd, pulling behind him a boy whose clothes and face was covered in blood. The Scout was shouting at the Garrison Guards to hold the boat and they did, allowing him to get the boy onto the boat.

Not wanting Finn to see the chaos that was about to erupt as the boat moved off, Poe grabbed the boy around the middle and hitched him up and away from the side of the boat. Finn had gone limp and let himself be manhandled by Poe. Sinking to the deck, Poe settled Finn down in his lap and watched helplessly as the boy broke down into a fresh wave of tears. He tugged his jacket around Finn’s shoulders tighter and held him against his chest, tucking the boy’s head beneath his chin.

“Make it stop, Poe,” Finn sobbed into his neck, “Make the monsters go away.”

Finn’s words broke Poe’s heart. He could do nothing but tighten his arms around the boy and whisper another lie, “It’s over now, Finn, you’re safe.”

Over the top of Finn’s head, Poe watched the boy he had noticed from before appear, closer up Poe could tell the blood covering him wasn’t his own. It turned his stomach to think of the horrors that boy must have witnessed.

The boat was moving now and people were shouting, screaming for it to stop, a few trying to jump and a couple made it. The boy was standing close to the edge, his face as white as snow beneath the crimson streaks.

***

“KYLO!”

Kylo looked up just in time to see his cousin Rey take a running jump. “REY!”

He shot to the edge of the boat and leaned over, finding her hanging off the edge. She was crying, doing her best to clamber up and Kylo leaned over, trying to pull her up. “SOMEONE HELP ME!”

No one moved. Kylo started crying as he felt Rey’s hands slipping on his, _SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!_ and then she slipped and Kylo screamed.

A hand shot out, catching Rey’s wrist and Kylo looked up into the eyes of a man. He was panting a little, and Kylo recognised him as the man who had run by him and his Mother earlier. Kylo gave a nod and then reached back over to help tug Rey back onto the boat.

Trembling, he shifted to sit on the edge of the boat, clinging to Rey.

The black boy clinging to the man’s arm must have been the Finn he was looking for earlier. He was staring at Kylo with wide eyes.

The teen realised he must have been covered in more blood than he thought he had been.

***

Poe heard a girl’s voice shout a name, “Kylo!” And the boy’s head snapped up and he stared down over the edge of the boat. _Oh no_ , Poe knew what was about to happen. He gently lifted Finn off his lap and got to his feet.

“Rey!” The boy cried out and Poe saw a blur of movement as a small figure tried to jump onto the slow moving boat. Running to the edge, the boy leant over it desperately, reaching out his hand. Poe began to frantically push his way through the crowd to reach the boy.

“Someone help me please!” Yelled the boy, crying now as he tried to pull the girl up onto the boat, but his hands were slippery with the blood and the girl was struggling in fear, her feet scrambling against the wood.

Poe saw the moment the girl slipped from the boy’s grasp and he threw himself forwards, lunging over the side of the boat. He managed to grab hold of the girl’s thin wrist and he grunted as her weight yanked his chest hard against the edge of the boat.

Wincing, he tightened his grip and caught the astonished, wide eyes of the boy who was staring at him in disbelief. They looked at one another for a brief moment and Poe knew their fates were forever entwined from that moment onwards. The boy nodded at him in thanks and together they heaved the crying girl up and onto the safety of the boat.

Poe took a step back, instantly feeling Finn’s hands grab onto his arm. He glanced down and forced a smile at the boy, “It’s alright, buddy.”

Finn’s eyes travelled to the girl and boy. Poe saw Finn shudder at the sight of the blood covering the boy; he instinctively put an arm around him just as the sound of canon fire split the air. 

***

The sound of a wall falling sounded, the canons were firing, and Rey got more upset. Kylo tugged his jacket off and wrapped it around her, cringing as it left pale red streaks across her skin, and then he rocked her until she finally fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> We hope you enjoyed reading the first chapter!


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